


Huntress: A One Piece Fanfic (Reader X Reader'sChoice! Various)

by TitaniaAngelina



Category: One Piece
Genre: #PreTimeskip #PostTimeskip #OnePiece, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-07-23 00:46:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7460073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TitaniaAngelina/pseuds/TitaniaAngelina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Strawhats are cornered into an island bay by a small company of Marine vessels. For some odd reason, a threat from the inhabitants of the island cause the Marines to retreat. On land, they meet you-- a girl who's small stature contradicts your larger than life strength and secrets. Luffy just HAS to have you in his crew, but you're afraid he'll get in your way. Will you join? If you do, will you value Luffy's dream and the crew's safety over your own ambitions? That's for you to decide! (Takes place after Thriller Bark and moves on from there. Will include Pre and Post-timeskip material)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Midnight Run

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Feedback are very important to me and my growth as a writer. I use every piece of constructive criticism I am given to better my work, as well as the reading experience for my viewers. Comments are greatly appreciated and encouraged! Don't be afraid to let me know exactly what you think!!!

Prologue: Midnight Run

It was an uncharacteristically dark evening on a marine base island a few miles west of marine headquarters. You sat motionlessly on the ledge of a window, staring into the darkness with determination. You had been waiting for something-- well, someone-- for quite some time now, and while you weren't one to give into stress, you were beginning to loose patience. The universe must have taken note of your declining restraint because the man of the hour came staggering into the room. 

He was stark raving drunk.

Coupled with the blinding darkness, it was nearly impossible for him to see anything. Which was pretty inconvenient for him--but perfect for you. You watched in disgust as he stumbled through his office slurring a drinking song and chuckling every now and then. You didn't touch alcohol, and you'd rather not have to talk to a drunken man.

But that's quite alright. You had a way to sober him right up. 

Bracing yourself, you leapt from the ledge of the building opposite his room and into the man's office, successfully landing a powerful round-house kick to the drunk's face. He let out a muffled cry as he toppled over his desk and landed with his back against a wall in a loud thud. The noise caught the attention of one of the lookout men outside his door. 

"Officer Delci, is everything alright?" 

Before he could signal distress, you skillfully lunged at him with a blade drawn, and pressed it against his throat. 

"Everything's fine. You fell." You hissed. Drawing enough blood from his neck to stress that you weren't screwing around. 

He still couldn't see you, but he felt the blade and the blood--that's all he needed.

"E-everything's fine. I-I just fell." 

The lookout grunted before moving on. When you were sure he was gone, you grabbed your hostage by his hair and pulled him to his feet while sheathing the small blade back to your hip. Your shining eyes illuminated the otherwise pitch black space, and your captive shivered under your grip like a child.

"W-what do you want with me? Amnesty? I-I can get that for you--"

I don't want--"

"You're an escaped convict r-right? If you let me go I--UGH"

The last of the bribe from the heavy set man flew from his mouth in a whirlwind of incomprehensible slurs as you slammed his body against the wall in a successful effort to shut him up. You grit your teeth menacingly. 

"I'm not here for that. I'm here for you Stokes Delcie" Your eyes glinted with hate as you stared intently at the man who quivered at the sound of his own name. You almost couldn't stand to look at this coward, you hated cowards. However, you had business to attend to. 

"I suppose you don't remember me..." His shadowed face only proved your inference. Your hateful expression did not change as you continued. 

"But tell me, do you remember a man by the name of Mifune?" 

Your ears picked up the small gasp that left the officer's mouth. He recognized the name--which meant he recognized you.

"I-it's you! Huntress!" Your orbs gleamed at the sound of your epithet as you drew one of the two swords that sat comfortably strapped over your right shoulder. 

"Stokes Delcie, you have been found guilty of wrongful death--" 

"W-wait! We can work something out!" He floundered, pushing uselessly against your strong grip.

"As well as the lifelong emotional distress of a child and an entire island of people--"

"I have friends! N-nobles!"

You glared at the mention of a filthy noble. Your own words and that of your defendant mixed together in a cocktail of bargains and ultimatums. 

"They can give you whatever you want ffff---!!" Again, the wind was knocked out of him. This time by a powerful punch to the abdomen that caused him to double over and spit up the alcohol he had consumed that night. 

You turned your head to avoid the smell, disgust riddling your darkened features.

Nonetheless, you continued.

"You will pay for these crimes against the innocent, with your life." 

Your ultimatum left him in a panic as he once again attempted to bargain--only to be cut off by your action of yanking his thinning hair in a violent downwards motion and sliding your katana blade across his now exposed throat, spilling all of the blood in his body. You listened as his fish-out-of-water like gasps went silent and the only sound was the occasional drip of internal fluid flowing from his neck and onto the tile floor. 

Feeling in the dark, you set your katana aside and grasped at the fabric of the man's uniform and tore open a hole revealing his bloody chest. Brandishing your dagger once again, you went to work. When you were sure the job was complete, you wiped any remaining blood on the ripped fabric of his uniform and sheathed the dagger. You were sure the work was sloppy on the account of the dark, but it would get the message across. Standing, you pulled a small towel from your navy blazer pocket. Moving over to the desk, you leaned against it, cleaning your blade in the dark. Sheathing your sword when finished, you stepped over the toppled furniture and back to the window from which you had entered. Noticing the full moon, you pulled a small black notebook from the back pocket of your black shorts and thumbed through the pages before stopping. You grasped around the dead man's office desk for a pen and proceeded to your final step. 

The page read:

~~Terhass Rodman~~  
~~Tshiek Jather~~  
~~Russo Curtis~~  
~~Pettis Aster~~  
~~Johnson Buford~~  
~~Willismae Dean~~  
~~Broadson Aaron~~  
~~Aldo Jamison~~  


And finally,

~~Stokes Delcie~~

You turned yet another page in the slightly worn book and stopped on a page that held a description.

It read:

Dark brown hair  
Grey eyes  
At least 6'0ft tall.  
Supposed squad leader.  
Scar over bridge of nose.  
Missing one canine tooth.  


Your hands squeezed the book in a vice grip as memories flooded your mind for a brief and painful moment before you shook your head to rid yourself of such tormenting thoughts.  
Dropping the pen and tucking the black book back into place, you moved to dangle your legs off of the ledge of the window. You closed  
your eyes and leaned your head back, exhaling softly. Once again feeling at peace while basking in the light glow of the moon, despite sharing the space with a now lifeless being. Lost in thought, you did not hear the commotion below as multiple marines began to mobilize. It was not until a dangerously close shot directed towards your shadowed figure was fired, that you realized the situation.

_They must have seen me leave the window._ You thought. 

Your expression failed to show any signs of panic as emergency sirens flared and a floodlight scanned up the building. You dodged the bright beam by jumping vertically and scaling the rest of the brick structure by its ledges, staying one step ahead of the light to avoid being identified. Once on the roof that contained stable ground, you took off at lightning speed, jumping effortlessly from rooftop to rooftop, ignoring the constant barrage of bullets and shouts of "Show yourself!" and "Murderer!" 

Reaching the last of the buildings, you retrieved a remote with a single button. After pressing said button, you allowed your body to free fall off of the roof. The darkness of night swallowed your form as you listened for the familiar hum of your transportation. Stretching your arms upwards, you eventually felt the cool surface of the metal snowboard-like mechanism as it whisked you away. Your strength allowed you to pull yourself onto the device that strapped your feet into stabilizers. One last bullet whipped past you, just missing your ear and embedded itself in the vastness of the ocean that you now sailed over. Exhaling once more since the commotion, you let yourself relax again and stared almost longingly at the moon that hung like a glorious pearl in the endless ocean that was the sky. 

You were safe now, and it was time to go back home.

 

**How was it? What can be better? Should I continue???? Feedback and comments are greatly appreciated!!**


	2. Chapter 1 pt. 1: Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You return home hours later after a successful execution of your mission. Your friends greet you with anxiety and numerous questions, which irritates you to some degree. As the day progresses, you are shown a piece of evidence that could threaten to destroy all that you've worked for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part 1 of the official first chapter of the Huntress series. I got some interesting feedback on the Prologue, so I decided to continue. Thank you for your support! Feedback is always appreciated and encouraged! Enjoy!!

**_Bold Italics= Outside Narration_ **

Basic Reader insert key:  
[y/n]- your name  
[n/n]- nickname   
[h/c]- hair color  
[e/c]- eye color  
[s/t]-skin tone

Chapter 1: Home

You had been traveling for three hours now, and coupled with the eventful night of blood and bullets you had just endured, a desperate need for sleep would have been completely reasonable. 

But rest was by far the last thing on your racing mind. 

You couldn't remember the last time you had pulled off such a thing anyway. Even if you had been utterly exhausted, your face would do little to give that fact away. You were, in a way, emotionless. However, this was probably not the correct word to use. You were not _unfeeling_ per se--far from it actually. You smiled, you got angry every now and again-- well, your eyes did anyway, but you felt all of those things, so a better term would be...

Un-showing...no. Un-revealing, maybe? Possibly even, un-acknowledging? That wasn't good enough either. Anyone who knew you well would have the same struggle to find a fitting adjective to describe your wide-eyed, but calm and always observant expression. As far as they could tell, there was no such adjective to delineate your being. You were simply... 

_[y/n]._

It was incredibly quiet in the air. The only company you received was the lapping of the waves in the endless ocean, and the constant hum of the metal board you balanced upon. It was actually quite cold, since you were floating above the clouds, and you were still a bit damp from when the ocean spray landed on you right before your liftoff. However,  despite all of this, you were pleased. Part one of your goal had been met hours ago, and while it was not the ultimate objective, it was a start. After all, one must take baby steps before they run, right? You let out a content sigh and breathed in the salty ocean air.

Yes, you were pleased. But not yet satisfied. Not yet happy. 

                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moon had long since disappeared, and with it, the millions of stars and the darkness of night.  The sky had begun to bloom with a brilliant salmon color when you finally touched down to the island you knew as home. Your hover board guided you to an area heavily covered with trees and other foliage, and met the grassy earth with a soft thud. The rapidly spinning propellers underneath the board came to a steady rotation before ceasing all activity. After unstrapping yourself from the device, you gave your body a much needed stretch before reaching down to pick up your board.

Everything had gone perfectly. 

There were no interruptions, and no compromises--not even any injuries this time! You had been reckless in your first few treks to marine territory, and twice it earned you a blindly shot bullet to some part of your body, somehow managing to miss some vital organ. Which meant you had to keep from bleeding out over large amounts of ocean for nearly three hours, _and_ manage to avoid attention from any acquaintances when you arrived back home covered in your own blood.

But this time, perfection couldn't be a better description. Although, you could have done without the sudden rain of bullets and the accusations of being a murderer--it was true, but they started it.

"Where have you been?"

You turned to face the source of the voice. Your large [e/c] eyes met the sharp green orbs of a face you knew all too well.

"Khena. Morning." You greeted him casually, taking note of the annoyed expression growing on his face. He took a step closer, defining the height difference between the two of you.

"That isn't what I asked [y/n]. Where have you been?" He repeated. You noticed his clothing was a bit disheveled, and his normally slicked back brown hair was falling in his face in loose strands. 

_Was he waiting up for me?_

For a moment, you felt guilty. The idea of the people you cared about abandoning their health at your expense was almost unbearable. At the same time, however, you were irritated. Khena had known you long enough to understand that you desire the space to work and be alone when you wanted. He had no reason to worry about you, and he normally didn't, so why was he acting so out of character today? 

"I was taking care of some things Khena." You stated, maneuvering around the older boy and heading towards town. 

"Like what?" 

Now _that_ was irritating. You knew when people were playing dumb. You stopped with your back facing him.

"You already know what, so why are you interrogating me?" You replied, your voice never changing from its normal passive tone. He sighed. 

"I just want to hear you say it. Of course we all know what you've been up to, but it would make us all feel better if you trusted us with that information and we heard it from your own mouth." 

"Why would I have to tell you things you already know? That's redundant, and a waste of time." 

You heard him let out a low chuckle. There was no arguing with you.

"Alright, fine." Khena mumbled waving his hand dismissively. He stuffed his hands into his pockets before falling in step with you. Green eyes scanned your figure.

"...But you should probably get cleaned up. There's somebody's blood all over your boots."

You looked down at your footwear. You had white boots that reached your upper thighs and were strung up with black shoelaces. Sure enough, blotches of rust colored blood decorated the once clean shoes. The worst of the mess was found at the soles, where you supposedly stepped in the fluid after your execution.

"Dammit."

After cleaning off the evidence from your favorite boots, you began to make your way into the heart of the island. By this time, the sun was completely up and the town was alive and bustling with activity. You passed by carts of souvenirs, and multiple street bands beginning to set up for their performances. Children in uniforms raced past you to their classrooms, and you were greeted with the familiar scent of sweet bread and meat. You walked slowly, waving to the people who greeted you and even offering up a small chat with some of the children. It was a normal day to say the least.

             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_**This is island of Melodia. Located just above the calm belt of East Blue. The island is fairly large, and consists of multiple towns, with the most well known and largest being the town of Angelica. There is a supposedly inactive part of  Melodia known as the GomoraVega district, as well a small extended part of the island called the Opfern Peninsula that is considered a sacred plot of land. Melodia is quite a wealthy and prosperous island, thanks to its successful business in the export of musical instruments. These instruments are considered to be of the best quality and material in the world. Their clear and beautiful sound is said to have no rival. Just as the instruments command respect worldwide, those that dedicate their life to playing them do as well. Melodia is home to countless master musicians. Young performers from around the world make this great nation their home with hopes of gaining world recognition for their music. In fact, Melodia was the home to many men recruited by the Rumbar Pirates, whose fate remains unclear to the residents to this day.**_  
         
After walking for a short while, you reached your destination. A café and bar known as _Music of the Beers_. You thought it was a pretty lame title, but it was a comfortable spot to lounge around. You pushed the wood and glass door open and stepped inside the dimly lit café. It was early, so you didn't have to worry about your senses being assaulted by the pungent smell of sake and other alcohol. 

"[y/n]! Where the hell have you been?!" Your ears perked to the sound of your name and pairs of feet running in your direction. Your large eyes rose to meet two pairs of identical blue-grey ones. 

You sighed. You had enough questioning earlier. 

"Moriel. Jasiel. Good morning. And you know where, so don't ask me." You stated sternly. In the light of the mid-morning sun, you could see their eyes widen slightly at your comment before they both stepped an inch back. You gave them an unamused look before moving over to the bar where the owner stood cleaning a glass and observing silently. You plopped down on the stool in front of him, leaning your cheek in your hand.      

"Any news old man?" You asked looking up at him. He was an older, thicker man in his mid forties. He wore a standard white button up shirt and beige pants. His hair was short and a dark brown color with large sideburns, with eyes that matched. He was a wise man that held all of the town's secrets and information--including yours. In essence, he was a typical bartender. Looking down at you, he put the glass aside and reached behind the counter. 

"I'm not so old that I've become reckless." He retorted, laying the day's newspaper in front of you. The headline took you aback.

It read:

**Image of evasive "Huntress" Captured!**

Your eyes wandered to the supposed image. It was a small darkened picture of a figure jumping vertically from a window sill. It definitely couldn't be used to identify anyone, but it was a pretty close call nonetheless.  

You stiffened slightly when you felt two pairs of hands on your shoulders. 

"Someone's in big trouble huh [n/n]?" The voice on your right teased. It was Jasiel. His voice was significantly deeper than his twin brother Moriel, who stood on your left. You glowered at the boy's smug expression, his auburn hair falling slightly over one of his eyes.

"It isn't much of a picture, but the Marines are pretty smart. This person may as well turn themselves in now." Moriel interjected, causing you to whip around and shower him with an equally menacing glare. 

The bartender sighed. "That's enough you two. I don't pay you to chastise [y/n]. That's why I'm here."

You rolled your large eyes as the boys looked up at the man.  

"If the two of you really are looking to be in an honest line of business, then you'd best get back to work." 

The twins groaned. "Come on Jeezer." Moriel whined. 

"[Y/n] deserves our nagging for not telling us what she was up to." Jasiel argued, kneading his knuckle into your right temple hard enough for you to growl and slap his hand away.   

Jeezer placed the shot glass back on the shelf and moved to clean the bar's counter. 

"This is true. But as I just said, that's my job. _Yours_ is to sort and take inventory of the bottles in the cellar."

The boys dropped their shoulders and made strides towards the cellar door. They gave you a frustrated sideways glance before disappearing into the lower room.

You sighed and looked at the article once again. 

"They're right you know." Jeezer stated, moving from behind the counter to sit on the stool next to yours. Your face remained blank. 

"You knew what I was up to long before now--" 

"That's not the point, and you know it." 

"It's stupid for you, the twins and Khena to be nagging me like this, Jeezer. 

He looked at you solemnly. "It isn't stupid to care about you [y/n]."

You blinked slowly. You knew they cared about you, because you cared about them. You all had been through more than enough together, but this was something that needed to be done by you. 

And you alone.

You heard the older man sigh. "You took the responsibility of protecting this island and everyone in it, but you did not take on that burden alone." 

"I understand that." 

"We didn't say anything to you about your activity because there was no incriminating evidence that could do you harm." He pointed at the newspaper in your hands.  

"Until now."

You closed your eyes and exhaled softly. You understood everyone's frustration now. Why Khena had been so unorderly and out of character, and why the twins freaked out when they saw you. They had already seen the article. 

"Our island was granted amnesty by the world government, but what do you think will happen if they find out that it was _you_ killing all of those men?" 

Damn, you had been reckless. The operation wasn't as flawless as you had once thought. 

You didn't have much of a chance to utter an apology, as the doors to building swung open and a disoriented looking young man stumbled in. He was the island lookout.

"M-Ms [y/n]! You have to come see this!" He shouted.  

"What happened?" Your face and voice never faltered, but inside you were feeling a slight sense of panic. Could the Marines have figured out it was you? Could they be ready to storm the island at any moment?

"It's a pirate ship! The Marines are cornering a pirate ship into Gabrielle's Bay!" 

The twins barged back into the main room at the breaking news, and looked to you. Jeezer and the panicked lookout also stared of your form. You stood slowly and subconsciously patted the katanas strapped to your back.

It wasn't such a normal day after all.


	3. Chapter 1 pt. 2: Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story regresses a few hours earlier, as the Strawhats are enjoying their breakfast and discussing the days news. They are suddenly attacked by a host of Marines and find themselves cornered. Back on land, you race to find a solution that will keep your seemingly normal life more or less the same.

b>Chapter 1 pt. 2

 

***Earlier, that same morning***

 

"AH! Have you guys seen this?!" Chopper shouted, running up to the rest of his crew that sat down to eat breakfast. He waved the item of interest in front of Luffy, who stared at it through an overstuffed mouthful of eggs and meat. 

"Uh mewspapo?" He mumbled, quickly loosing interest and digging into his fourth omelet. 

"A newspaper?" Brook translated, sipping his glass of milk quite loudly.

Nami sighed irritably before taking the paper and scanning it, with Robin leaning over her shoulder. The red-head's eyes widened while the raven let out a noise indicating her interest. Chopper looked back and forth between the women with his eyes on the verge of spilling tears.

"S-scary right?" 

Nami nodded frantically in conformation. The interaction successfully gained the attention of the rest of the crew as Zoro crossed his arms.

"So are you gonna tell us what it says or not?" He pushed, causing Sanji to angrily flick egg yolks in his face.

"Don't rush them! Stupid Marimo!" Zoro growled and stood up ready to lunge at the man. 

"Cut it out guys! Robin's gonna read it now!" Nami yelled from her seat as the raven haired woman stood. 

"It says, 'Image of Evasive "Huntress" Captured.' During the latest attacks on a Marine base South of Enies Lobby, a photograph of the wanted "Huntress" was successfully captured. She is wanted for the murders of nine Marine officials ranking from mid to high status that began one year ago. It is unknown how these nine men are connected to each other, however, the fashion in which they are killed is eerily similar. All six men had their throats slashed with a long blade, and the words "Huntress" barbarically carved into their chests with a shorter, more dull knife. Until this photograph was taken, government investigators assumed that more than one person was responsible for these crimes. Marine bases across the world have upped their security and are urging all officials to double up when on duty, and to close their windows at night until this murderer has been brought to justice. She will most definitely face execution." 

Robin looked up from the article to her crewmates, that stared back at her completely frozen. Franky was the first to speak. 

"Whoa. So there's a murder on the loose?" 

"Don't say it like that!!!" Chopper cried, covering his ears.

"Relax, if the article is right, then this lady is only going after Marines. I don't think she'll come after pirates." Zoro assured. 

"Although, it is possible." Robin stated, causing everyone's head to snap back towards her. She held her chin between her thumb and fingers in thought. 

"The article said the killings were not connected and nondiscriminatory, so it is possible that she's just killing for fun." 

Her hypothesis sent the weaker of the crew into a panic while Luffy looked at her, but continued to eat. 

"ROBIN! why would you say that?!" Nami whined with tears streaming down her face. 

Brook frantically agreed.

"We don't even know what she looks like! She could be _any_ woman that gets close enough to us and slashes our throats just like those poor Marines--Although, I don't exactly have a throat for her to slash. SKULL JO--"

"SHUT UP! THIS IS SERIOUS!" Nami, Chopper and Usopp yelled while planting their fists in the side of the skeleton's face, er skull. 

Luffy laughed heartily. 

"Relax guys! If we see her, we'll just beat her up!" He confirmed before laughing even harder. Half of the ship deadpanned at him, while Sanji swiped at his head.

"We will do no such thing! She may be a murderer but she's still a woman!"  

"Luffy! We don't know what she looks like!" Nami argued. 

"Well, _you_ guys might not know...but I do." Usopp stated smugly. 

Luffy and Brook turned to face the long nose, while  Chopper bounced up to him and grasped the taller boy's pant leg.

"You do?! Ussopp, tell us!" Ussopp smiled as he leaned against the wall of the kitchen.

"It was exactly one year ago today! In my hometown. A young marine had just docked here with three others for food and supplies. It was a normal enough day. I, the great captain Ussopp, sat on a tree watching the ocean to ensure the safety of my island. Soon, another boat docked..." 

Choppers eyes lit up with curiosity. Luffy and Brook leaned towards the 17 year old, listening attentively. The rest of the crew listened with half interest in the tale, while Sanji began to clean off the table. 

Ussopp continued.

"I couldn't see a face, because they were wearing a long cloak, but I could tell by the shape...it was a woman."

This seemed to gain the cook's interest.

"Late that night, when the town was fast asleep and the lights were all burned out, I had just finished a set of 100 push ups and sit ups when I heard a splash. It was coming from the shore, so I grabbed my weapon and headed there myself...That's when I saw her. She was tall and had midnight black hair, and her skin was as white as the moon itself! She wore a long black evening gown and matching heels..."

Sanji shivered.  "She sounds gorgeous!" 

Franky turned to him. 

"You don't seriously believe this do you?" The blonde displayed a toothy grin, wrapping his arms around  his body. 

"At first I didn't, but now that I visualized her, I really hope she exists! Sure she's done some pretty bad things, but she just needs her prince to swoop in and show her a new life!"

"Yeah but--"

Zoro nudged the cyborg. 

"He's too far gone, forget about it." Franky sighed, turning his attention back to Ussopp's theatrics.

"She slashed their throats! All four of them! And then wrapped them in cloth and tossed them into the ocean! I yelled at her, and she turned to face me. She had bright red lipstick and glowing ruby red eyes! She was like a demon!

"A-a demon!?" Chopper panicked.

"That's right! She came at me, but she was no match for my arsenal of demon-repelling weapons! She hissed, before she disappeared into the night! And once again, my island was safe from harm, thanks to Captain Ussopp!" 

The boy finished his tale, but not before striking a heroic pose. Chopper stared at him in awe, while Luffy laughed and clapped along with Brook. 

"That was a blatant lie wasn't it?" Zoro asked. 

"It most certainly was not! The Huntress is just as I described her! You'll thank me later!"  

"Whatever.--"

 

The crew shouted as the ship rocked violently to a loud explosion that sent Ussopp and Brook tumbling into each other. The others braced themselves as another explosion shook the vessel. Chooper ran over to Zoro to grasp his leg tightly.

"IT'S THE HUNTRESS! SHE'S GONNA KILL US ALL!" 

Nami and Franky raced out of the dining area and onto the main deck. Their eyes widened as they witnessed a host of three Marine ships speeding towards them.  

"Damn! It ain't the huntress we need to worry about, it's the Marines!" 

"I thought these were safe waters!" Nami cried, holding onto the railing as yet another cannon exploded near the ship. 

From the kitchen, Luffy stood up and moved to the door.

"Nami! Franky! Get us out of here!" The red-head nodded, and grasped the helm as Franky and Zoro undid the sails. While working, Franky looked up.

"Shit...Uh Nami! You might wanna take a look at this!" The woman turned slightly to Franky's voice. 

Her eyes widened. 

"Oh God..." She whispered to herself. 

Because of the cannons, the ship was now moving into a narrow body of water with land on either side. There was no room to turn, and Coup De Burst would only send them flying in the Marines' arms. 

They were trapped.

                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Back on the island, you raced down the streets of Angelica with the lookout, where you were eventually met by Khena who matched your speed. The twins ran behind you at an equal pace. 

"What the hell's going on?" He asked.

"Lookout says there's a pirate ship being cornered by the marines in Gabrielle's Bay."

The brunette's expression hardened. 

"So, what do we do?"  
                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The five of you eventually reached the land leading to the bay, and you were met by a man in his mid-twenties with short wavy blonde hair and brown eyes, as well as a group of spectators that you also knew well. 

"Janson, how's it looking?" You questioned.

The blonde silently handed you a pair of binoculars. You looked through the eye wear at the commotion in the bay. You could see about seven humans, as well as two beings that looked like a living skeleton and sort of raccoon-dog-thing, that ran in circles frantically. 

Then, you saw it.

You scrunched your eyebrows in thought. The other men surrounding you spoke in hushed tones about the situation, as the air was filled with noises of cannons and panicked screaming.

"I need a megaphone." You said suddenly. One of the men nodded and raced back towards town. 

"You have a plan?" Khena asked. His eyes giving you a side glance. 

You nodded curtly.

"I recognize one of them." 

The group looked at you is surprise. Janson grunted.

"Right, I believe that kid is Strawhat Luffy. I saw his wanted poster, he's worth well over 100 million. You nodded once again, indicating that was the boy you were referring to.

"True, but that's not where I recognize him from." You stated, earning a sound of confusion from the group just as the man returned breathlessly with the megaphone. You took the device and nodded in thanks. Turning the sound control to its highest volume and pressing the talk switch, you waited for an ebb in the cannon fire before speaking. 

"Stop! This ship is officially in Melodian waters and has been granted sanctuary by the leaders of this island!" 

The group listened to your speech with no objections as the cannon fire completely ceased.

You continued.

"Marines! If you continue your advances on this ship, we will consider it an act of war!

Janson put the binoculars back to his eyes to keep watch. By now, everyone was staring at you. The pirates, and all of the Marines from the three ships. 

"Turn your ships around! You're through here!" You ordered. 

Without waiting for an answer, you set the megaphone back into the man's hands that gave it to you. Reaching to your back where both your katana sat, your readied yourself to draw your weapons.

"Get ready to fight if need be."  

The men nodded and braced themselves.

Janson continued his watch. He could make out the marines speaking to their captain before the officer spoke on a Den Den Mushi, no doubt speaking to the leaders of the other two ships. 

"They're deliberating." He informed.

                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, back on the Sunny, the crew stared between the group on the island and the Marines. 

"An act of war? Are they serious?" Franky asked incredulously.

Robin smiled lightly.

"They were kind enough to grant us sanctuary. We should thank them."  

"Whoever they are, they've got balls." Zoro commented. "Especially the one who did all that talking just now."  

"Guys! Look!" Nami shouted. The rest of the crew turned just in time to see all three Marine vessels making their exit.

"They're leaving! We're saved!" Brook howled as Ussopp and Chopper hugged each other with  tears flowing down their cheeks.

On the island, the men cheered and your body relaxed for the first time since the ordeal began. Khena chuckled and patted your back.

"You still got it [y/n]."

You sighed lightly. 

"Let's go meet them."

"Right!"  
                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

On the Bay's shore, the Strawhats docked and stepped off the ship one by one. Your group raced ahead of you to greet them, as you hung back slightly. You felt a big change was coming, and you weren't sure what to make of it. You didn't really like change, and you were positive this incident would gain attention from the world government. Things had been so normal and quiet for four years, but now, all of that could come to an end.

Khena and the twins were the first to reach the crew. They laughed as Chopper and Ussopp threw themselves at them, shouting words of thanks. Janson spoke to Zoro and Franky, while the rest of the men either ran from Brook or fussed over the women until an angry Sanji chased them away. 

Through the uproar from the meet and greet, a raven haired boy spotted you. In excitement, he began to run in your direction, causing you to resist the sudden urge to run away. He sprinted effortlessly up the grassy plain, calling to you as he ran.

"You're the one that was talking right? Thanks a bunch for saving my crew! You're so--" 

He finally stood face to face with you as he stared with a wide eyed expression like a deer in headlights. 

"S-SHORT!" He screamed, warranting the attention from his crew _and_ yours. 

"You're so short!"

It was true. You were quite short, only standing at about 5'0 tall. Your large [e/c] eyes and outfit didn't seem to give much aid to your age either. Aside from your white thigh-high boots, you wore black shorts with a sleeveless white button-up blouse with the collar being buttoned over the beginning of your neck. Over the blouse, you sported a navy blue blazer with tails that fell just past your bottom. Your hair was long, and thus, took away from your height as well. The rest of the boy's crew and yours joined the two of you on the hill. A boy with a long nose and the raccoon-dog-thing from earlier began to fuss over your height along with their captain, as the twins laughed hysterically. 

What the hell had you done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Gabriel's Bay was given its name in the story because of its resemblance to a trumpet. The beginning of the bay is narrow, like the neck of the instrument, while the largest part is wide with a circular shoreline that resembles the horn. In the Bible, Gabriel is the angel that is often tasked with giving messages to God's people. He does so by first playing a note on his trumpet.
> 
> 2\. Reader-chan's hair is very long. This is an important element in the story.


	4. Chapter 2 pt. 1: Questions and Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As you stumble over how you truly feel about the Strawhats presence through an interesting encounter with their swordsman and their cook, the unavoidable question of the morning's strange exchange with the Marines arises. How will you handle it?

Huntress Chapter 2

You were exhausted. Between finding a nice hotel for the strawhats to stay, showing Nami and Robin where to shop, avoiding Sanji's advances, convincing the townspeople that Brook was harmless and watching him assimilate with the street bands, guiding Usopp, Franky and Chopper to an instrument making class, and answering Luffy's endless questions about your height, it was no surprise that you were ready to die from fatigue. 

It was now approaching mid-afternoon and you were currently dragging your feet back to Jeezer's café. Maybe you could close your eyes for a moment before Luffy thought up some more questions--

"[Y/N]-swaaaan!!"

 _Swan?_ You turned and your eyes rose to meet the heart-filled orbs of--what was his name again? Something with an S...

"Oh, hello ss...--" 

He smiled widely 

"That's right! It's Sanji! You're so cute (y/n)!" He fawned, patting your hair. You grunted softly and in surprise, looking off to the side. You really weren't used to people flirting with you so openly. It was pretty uncomfortable.  

"Looks like you went shopping. " You stated, nodding to his large wagon full of supplies, trying to change the subject. He glanced back at the bulk.

"Oh, yeah. We needed to restock the kitchen anyway. So this was actually a good opportunity. Only thing though..." He started, lighting a cigarette and scratching his head. 

You stood amid the flowing crowd of people in the town, waiting for him to continue. 

He laughed slightly, the cigarette hanging from his lips. 

"I finished my errands pretty early...a lot earlier than I predicted. Everyone else is out somewhere, and I don't really have anything else to do except load this stuff on the ship." 

You nodded.

"There's plenty of stuff to do in Melodia...but if you really wanna stay with people you know, I'll be in Jeezer's café right there." You explained, pointing across the street. 

"You can meet me later if you want." 

You were hesitant to invite him, but it was too late now. 

You watched as his eyes exploded into hearts again--no doubt blowing the invite out of proportion.

"[Y/n]! You're so sweet! This is the start of something special isn't it?" He cooed, beginning to turn towards the bay where the ship was docked, before taking off in a cartoon-ish speed. 

Many people leapt out of the man's way to avoid being trampled.

"I'll be back my loooooovee!!!" He called, causing multiple people to look at you. You watched, silently thanking your stars for your impassive mask of a face. One thing you could never handle was open and shameless flirting and admiration.  

You learned that three years ago, when HE showed up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You sighed as you pushed open the door to your normal hangout. Usually, at the time it was, you'd stay away from the bar to avoid the alcoholic aroma. But today, it didn't smell too bad. It was quite dim and empty in the building. It only held one other customer, who sat hunched over the bar whith his half-shadowed figure moving every now and again to take a swig of his purchased alcohol. Jeezer stood in his traditional spot cleaning a beer glass.

"Where is everyone?" You asked.

"Apparently, they've all taken interest in the Strawhat boy. He's been running all over town, and they've been following him all day." He answered, never looking up from his work.

You took a seat a distance away from the drinking man, leaned on the counter face first and silently groaned. The bartender cast his attention to you.

"Rough day?" 

You sighed in response. 

It was'nt normal to see you expressing your sentiment, but the man admitted to himself that it was quite funny. The boy in the straw hat and his crew had only been on the island for a maximum of three hours, and they had already worn down one of Melodia's strongest iron cages--you. 

They were truly a force to be reckoned with.  

"They're an interesting bunch, aren't they?"

"They're a _tiresome_ bunch." Came your muffled reply. "One of them is on his way here later. I made the mistake of inviting him."

You cringed as Jeezer let out a hearty cackle.

" _You_ made a mistake? I haven't seen you this flustered since **he** came to town. What was his name again? Firef--"

You growled and lifted your head to glare at him. 

"Looks like I'm not the only one making mistakes--working _alone_ today old man?" You countered flatly.

He jolted slightly and gritted his teeth, pressing the dish towel into the drinking glass, cleaning it furiously. 

"I sent those lazy twins to buy flour two hours ago. They'll be out of a job if they don't high-tail their asses in here and work a full shift for once!"

"Well there you go." You replied with an exasperated sigh. "You're a bigger idiot than me." 

The older man smiled menacingly. "Fair enough [y/n]. By the way...would you like some milk?"

Your eyes widened a fraction of an inch, as you sat defeated and grumbling to yourself. 

The bastard just took a shot at your height. Two insults in less than a minuet. What a brave man. 

Your little exchange earned a small chuckle from further down the bar. 

"Sorry, but this place might be much louder in the next hour or so." The voice, that you identified as a man's spoke. From your seat, you peered at him with your large eyes. 

You didn't say anything. Instead, you let the old man talk.

"Did you invite some of your drinking buddies? Because in case you haven't heard, I'm short on staff." Jeezer exhaled as your eyebrows knitted together. 

If more alcohol was to be involved, it was time to make your exit. Forget Sanji.  

The customer smirked, took another sip, and leaned into the light. You blinked.

"Oh, it's you. Zoro, right?" 

You wondered why Jeezer didn't clue you in that the swordsman was here. You _had_ just expressed slight disdain for his crewmates. To some pirates, those were fighting words. Surely he saw him come in.

"I was looking for a good bar and found this one. Nice and quiet too." 

Jeezer smiled at the indirect complement, finally setting the glass and cleaning rag aside. You pushed off of the bar and sat with your arms crossed, listening to the man with the strange hair color. 

"I told the crew we should meet here when they're done doing whatever. So, sorry about that. I guess." 

Your eyebrow twitched upon hearing Zoro's words, while the bartender held back a laugh.

"By the way..." Zoro continued as he locked eyes with you. 

"I see you're a swordsman" Indicating to the blades strapped to your back. He smirked. "You any good?"

A challenge. 

You felt a sudden rush of electric energy pulse through your body. The bartender glanced at you with a knowing gleam in his deep brown eyes. You found it hard to drop the green haired man's intense gaze. It had been a while since you fought a battle on equal footing--assuming he was any good. Before you could answer, the door to the entrance swung open violently for the second time that day. 

"I'M HERE MY LOOOOOVEEE!!" Heart filled eyes immediately landed on your small form.

Perfect.

Zoro, never missing a beat, shouted in his direction. 

"Could you shut the hell up damn cook?! It was nice until you came in here screaming like that." The blonde's eyes snapped from you to the swordsman.

"Wha- MOSHEAD!! What the hell are you doing here!? This was supposed to be me and [y/n]'s date!"

"...No, it wasn't.--"

"Can't you go to _one_ island without chasing after some random ass girl?"

How nice of him... 

The one called 'black leg' stomped over to the pirate hunter, pushing his face into the latter's.

"What I do on my time is none of your damn business you meathead!" 

You watched impassively as the two men sized each other up. Was this really happening right now?

Zoro pushed back, and the two were suddenly standing forehead to forehead in the middle of the café. 

"I'm just saying idiot! You're 19! Nami is the youngest you should hit on if you _really_ can't control yourself. Any younger is just plain creepy!"

"[Y/n] is cute! And again, That's my damn business!"

You felt your brain go numb. There was sudden rigidness to the atmosphere. 

Oh, hell no. Do they think...?

Jeezer, who was all too used to spats in his establishment, wiped the table down calmly.

"Don't cause trouble in my bar, or you'll be thrown out...And I'll have you _both_ know that [Y/n] is 19."

You didn't even see the value in getting angry at this point. Still, it didn't fix the embarrassment you felt inside, when the two men looked at you like you had sprouted wings and a tail. You sighed and closed your eyes.

"Yeah, that's right."

It really wasn't their fault. You doubted anyone could guess your age by simply looking at you. You had the height and face of no less than a 13 year old, but the voice of a young woman, or "like the wind" as Jeezer liked to put it. 

It could get pretty confusing. Why the universe had cursed your body like this, was beyond you. Your growth began to stagnate at age 13, the only part of you getting any longer being your hair. Granted you had never been tall for your age, but at least you _kind of_ looked like an 10 year old when you were actually 10. 

"S-seriously?!...Damn." Zoro mumbled, lowering his fists while the blonde cook quietly lit a cigarette. He gave a long drag before blowing the smoke into the coffee and slight alcohol scented air of the café. 

"So, my little princess is actually a mature young woman...IT MUST BE FATE!!" 

You, along with the rest of the inhabitants in the bar deadpanned at the young man as he went into an eternal spiel about how his fate with you had been sealed. Turning back to Jeezer, you gave him a look that only he understood. 

"I wish I could help you [y/n], but like I said earlier, those lazy twins were tasked with getting more flour...what's more, I've been giving the Mrs. days off since I hired those good for nothing boys. You like her baking more than anyone's, am I right?"

He _was_ right. Contrary to what others might think, your love for sweets was unparalleled, and Jeezer's wife was known as the best baker in town. You often came to her for a fix that she was always happy to give you. You secretly loved baking, and you took a few lessons from her. But no matter how closely you followed the woman's instructions, you could never get your desserts to taste like hers. You had only just now noticed the empty pastry display table, and you were really beginning to hate the twins right about now.

What could they possibly be doing?!

"Does my princess want something sweet?" 

You were snapped out of your internal lament by a starry-eyed Sanji. "I can make you something!"

He was leaning in to you pretty close. Like, **really** close. Somewhere along the line, he had placed your small hands in his own. Your resolve was shaking quickly. This was an invasion of personal space like you had only ever known once. And the shameless flirting did not help one bit.  

"Did you not hear me, son? There's no flour." Jeezer repeated, getting a bit irritated at both Sanji and the idea of Moriel and Jasiel skipping work. Zoro, who had made his way back to the bar, sighed loudly and scratched his head.

"Just let him do it. The idiot would jump off a cliff with weights on his ankles if a girl asked him to." 

The blonde cook ignored the insult and strode to a tall brown door behind the counter. Jeezer made no sudden moves to stop him, per Zoro's request, but questioned his motive. 

"This the kitchen?" The younger man asked, pushing open the door. His inquiry was answered with the sight of a small but pristine cookery with a white and grey color-scheme. Everything was in its proper place and the surfaces looked clean enough to eat off of. 

Sanji let out a low whistle. 

"The Mrs. is very particular about her workspace young man, so if you're going to experiment, you'd best be sure to clean up and put everything back where it belongs when you're done." The brunette man warned as he pulled a chair from against the wall to sit with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. 

"What do you mean no flour?" Sanji called moments later. "You've got two bags of it right here old man." 

"It's soy flour. I don't touch the stuff. Tastes weird. Flora's the baker anyway, she's better at using it." 

Your eyes moved slowly between the bartender and the commotion in the kitchen. It was strange that Jeezer was being so liberal with total strangers. Being a bartender, he could normally sense the people with bad intentions--a skill he passed to you--, but was he really just going to trust these guys enough to let one of them use his kitchen to make food for you? 

You were honestly too worn out to try and stop him. And you've never turned down free sweets before, so, Godspeed Mr. cook. 

Before long, the delicious smell of cake and other sweets wafted throughout your senses and the café. You had to admit, you were excited to try it. Sanji came out of the kitchen--love-struck as before--holding a beautiful strawberry mini bundt cake on a tray. You blinked as he placed it before you along with a fork. 

You were hesitant, but only at the realization that the other two souls in the bar were now staring at you. Including Sanji himself. Utilizing the fork in your small hands, you delicately sliced through the pastry and popped a piece into your mouth. It was wonderful. How he had managed to make a desert--dare you say it--better than Mrs. Flora, you would never understand. 

You looked the expectant cook in the eyes and nodded once. "It's good. Thank you." You stated softly. Sanji's face lit up and he began to spin around the room. Zoro rolled his eyes, as Jeezer smirked to himself watching as you continued to eat. 

"She likes it!!! You're welcome [y/n]! You can have my cooking anytime you wan--"

"I SMELL SANJI'S COOKING!!!" Came a scream from outside the establishment, followed by the sound of wood splintering as the owner of said scream kicked open the door to the bar.

Jeezer scrambled to his feet.

"OI! Don't just go destroying other's property like that jackass!!" He yelled at the raven haired boy with the straw hat that stepped inside with his tongue hanging in a cartoon-ish fashion from his wide open mouth. 

The boy that everyone by now knew as Luffy, was followed into the café by the rest of the strawhats and a large portion of the townspeople. In seconds, the bar was filled with a cacophony of talking, yelling, laughing, and the occasional music note being strummed or sung. You watched inexpressively as Nami beat Luffy over his head with her fist and promised Jeezer to pay for the damages to the door. 

Looking back towards the entrance, your eyelids lowered as the twins stepped inside--and immediately made their exit, with a raving mad Jeezer hot on their tails. 

_Those boys are going to die._ You thought passively.

Khena and Janson entered not long after, and silently took their seats on either side of you. On the other side of the café, you saw some of the townspeople attempt to show Usopp how to use an original invention called the fluglebass, an instrument that was supposed to be able take the place of a bass tone singer in a band. You closed your eyes when you felt the distinct rumbling of the instrument as the long nosed boy blew a harsh note. Jansen laughed as Usopp's 'teachers' clapped for him in approval. 

The atmosphere was loud, it was tiresome, it was head-splitting even.

But...

Khena glanced at you after helping himself to a Ginger beer in the absence of the bartender Jeezer. 

"You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?" 

You crossed your arms and sighed. "I'm just getting used to the noise." Janson snorted softly, but kept quiet. 

"Hey! [Y/n]!" You looked up to see Luffy waving in your direction. By now, his whole crew was gathered around a medium-sized café table--and every one of them was looking at you. 

The feeling that you experienced when you first met them earlier that day returned even stronger than before. 

_Something is about to change, for good._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You want to know about the..."

"About the deal with the Marines this morning." Nami affirmed, finishing your sentence. At the moment she spoke, Jeezer returned followed by a slightly beaten Moriel and Jasiel--Holding sacks of flour. They walked past you.

"He docked our pay by two months..."

"Cruel old man..."

There was a small rumble of giggles from the spectators as the twin boys set the flour in the kitchen with Jeezer standing over them, arms crossed and chest puffed out like a prison guard. 

"I'm gonna work you boys to the bone if it kills me!" Jeezer barked. "You've got three weeks of work to catch up on, so--"

"Hold on a minuet old man." You interrupted. He cast his attention in your direction, his eyes losing a bit of the fire they held.

"The Strawhats wanna know about Melodia." Khena stated. The air in the cafe began to grow thick as many of the townspeople, including the twins and Jeezer froze. 

This was a delicate topic.  

All eyes were on you. The Strawhats wanted answers, and the people of Melodia wondered if you would give it to them. You straightened your back in your seat and exhaled slowly, placing your hands in your lap. 

"Melodia is an island independent of the world government." 

You took note of the confusion riddled on some of the faces of Luffy's crew before  continuing. 

"Our infrastructure relies on the production of fine instruments and muscicians. Because of Melodia's success in instrument making, it has a rich economy. However, the nobles were pocketing nearly half of the earnings made by the working class, leaving many people poor and unable to support their families despite the booming market." 

Khena nodded.

"The Marines were bribed by the nobles to keep their mouth shut. With the money they basically stole from the working class, they built a gated district all to themselves." He added.

"The GomoraVega District." 

Robin and Nami's eyes widened. "But, that's the--"

"The shopping district, yes. It's also where most of the hotels are." You finished. "In the distance, you saw a bunch of mansions, right?"

They nodded.

"They belong to the nobles. They built them using the money of the people.--And the people themselves..." 

"We just saw a bunch of children over that way." Robin stated.

"Mmhmm." 

You exhaled once more, ignoring the prior statement.

"About four years ago, the people of Melodia, having been fed up with the way they were being treated by stationed Marines and the nobles on the island, declared war on the world government."

If you had never known what fear and awe looked like, you had seen it today on the faces of the Strawhats. But surprisingly, Luffy seemed unfazed.

"W-war?! Like an actual war?!" Usopp sputtered in disbelief while chopper held on to Zoro's pants leg with wide, tear filled eyes. 

"You guys must have a death wish or something. Declaring war on the **world** like that...well, I guess we're no better..." Franky mused. 

Janson shifted in his seat next to yours.

"Being an enemy of the world is far better than the treatment the people of Melodia were receiving at the hands of the nobles and Marines. I came here after the fact, but my views are still the same." He added. You made a small noise to voice your agreement before taking the reigns once again.

"The war lasted nearly two months, since neither side wanted to give in. Eventually, the World Government and Melodia came to an agreement. The island would stand down if the Marines agreed to recall all of their soldiers--and ban nobles and Celestial Dragons from ever setting foot on Melodia. This agreement allowed the island to operate as a free nation without corruption looming over them. Pirates and tourists, however, are still allowed to enter Melodia, and the trading market has never been better."

There was a sense of pride that washed over the residents of the island nation, while each one of the Strawhats held a different expression. Some of them stood in shock, while others looked utterly terrified. Their captain still remained unmoved. 

How strange.

Nami nodded in thought. "I get it, so that's why the Marines backed off so easily this morning." 

"Right, entering our waters would have been a blatant violation of the agreement between Melodia and the World Government." Jansen stated coolly. 

"But would you guys really have been willing to start a war? Just like that?" Brook asked, baffled.

"Damn right!" One of the residents interposed. "If those damn Marines want to fight, we'll give 'em a fight!" His declaration was met with a string of motivational cheers.

"That's right! We've never done anything against them in four years! Their attacks would be unwarranted!" 

Jeezer and Khena's knowing eyes landed on you. 

_Would they really?_

"I just realized..." Robin started, her hand holding her chin in contemplation. "The war you're talking about must be what people referred to as the 'Secret War'. I heard about it a few years ago. Information on it is so minimal, that most just excuse it as a myth."

The bartender cleared his throat. "It doesn't surprise me. The World government was afraid that news of Melodia's success would inspire other islands to take the same chance, so it's been covered up. A lot of marines aren't very fond of us, but they respect our contract. The agreement stands as long as we don't go public about our little revolution...unless someone were to screw that up."

You stiffened. 

"This is amazing." Chopper added. "A little scary--but amazing! You've gotta be one of the first people to directly challenge the World Government and survive--let alone win."

The furry dog-thing, that you learned was apparently a reindeer, looked back and forth between you, Jansen, Jeezer and Khena. 

Nami furrowed her brow. 

"You said pirates were still allowed on the island... doesn't that backfire sometimes? They're not all good people." 

"We're fine with pirates as long as they don't cause trouble--" Jeezer began before being cutoff by another resident.

"If they do, they've got [y/n] and the archangels to deal with!" His exclamation was met with a loud cheer as his friends agreed. The attention made you shrink a bit, as Khena and Jeezer smiled. The young pirate captain's eyes suddenly lit up. 

"You deal with them all by yourself?! I knew you were awesome!" He cheezed, ignoring your assurance that you didn't _always_ deal with troublemakers alone. You also made sure to explain to the now confused guests that the leaders of Melodia's island defense were known as archangels by the civilians, since the residents of Angelica were called as angels. Luffy looked ecstatic as Chopper and Ussopp stared at you with starry eyes and went on about how cool you were despite your size. 

You sighed. 

"Since the ball's back in my court, when are you planning on leaving?" 

"Damn, [y/n]." Khena cringed as the whole room looked to you in shock. Your expressionless face gave no hint of anything less than indifference. 

"It's not what you think. I want to know because there's a good chance the Marines are waiting for you to leave Melodia's jurisdiction to capture you. It's happened before." 

"So, what are you saying? We're stuck here?" Zoro pushed.

"I'm saying, to be safe..." You hesitated, unsure if you wanted to finish. 

"You should stay at least a week."

You heard the twins and Khena snicker as soon as the words left your mouth. The Strawhats looked between one another before nodding in agreement. It was the safest option. Luffy jumped to his feet and laughed.

"Alright, it's settled then! We'll stay a week!"

You exhaled soflty and leaned on the bar.

"Good--"

"But on one condition...!" 

You looked up at the raven haired boy who was now inches from your face.

**What now???**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Author's notes:**
> 
>  
> 
> 1\. Fluglebass **(Floo-gl-base)**
> 
> 2\. Despite being called "old man" Jeezer is actually around the same age as Shanks who is 39. Jeezer is only 41. His nickname stems from his role as the father figure. He is the one who chastises the youngsters, and so he is compared to an "old man" yelling at a bunch of kids.
> 
> 3\. Jeezer's wife is named Flora. She is very fond of reader-chan and the twins. In return, the twins are surprisingly very protective of her. 
> 
> 4\. The residents of the town of Angelica are called "Angels". Some time after the war, residents began referring to reader-chan and her squad as the "Archangels", since they are the stronger counterparts of the residents themselves. They also represent certain aspects of the archangels from the Bible. Gabrielle is a messenger angel and is most like Janson as he is normally seen on lookout, Moriel and Jasiel are LITTERALLY names of actual archangels in the Bible, and reader is like Michael, the leader and the strongest.
> 
> 5\. Jeezer's name means "Island of help", which is a reference to his role as an informant and mentor. It is also foreshadowing.  
> 
> 6\. All of the main characters have names that have Biblical significance--except for Janson. Foreshadowing my friends!!!    
> 
>  
> 
> **PART 2 COMMING SOON!!!!**


	5. Chapter 2 pt. 2: A Simple Response

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a party is thrown in honor of the Strawhats, you question your feelings about them, yet again. As you wander back home, familiar sights from your past that you have been avoiding come into play, and you are met with a decision that you make all too quickly for some people's tastes.

"A party?" You inquired.

Luffy beamed. 

"Yeah! It's the least we can do to thank you guys for saving us back there!"

The atmosphere was still pretty restless, but by now everyone had taken a seat somewhere in the café and were looking to you and Luffy, who now stood in the center of it all. You glanced through the window to the dark night sky.

"It's pretty late." You stated, trying to ignore the noticeable discouragement in the boy's rubber face. It was almost 10:00. It wasn't unbelievably late, but you _really_ just wanted to fall on your bed and sleep down the days until the strange, rowdy crew left. You had plans for the coming weeks. 

You didn't need any distractions.

Khena and the twins stepped closer to you and Luffy. 

"Sorry Strawhat, but we're not really big on random people throwing parties."

Thank God Khena was here. You watched as the pirate captain literally began to deflate in front of you. 

The twins nodded and shrugged simultaneously.

"Besides..." Moriel started. 

"Nobody throws a party like Melodia anyway." Jasiel finished. 

Wait, what? 

Luffy's body slowly began to regain its lost energy at the twin's words. 

You could practically feel Khena's smirk.

"If we're gonna have a party, Strawhat, Melodia's gonna be the one to throw it!" 

You inwardly cringed as the townspeople cheered in excitement. Luffy's crew included. You should have known Khena and the twins wouldn't turn down a good time. How many years would you have to know them for that to sink in? Don't get the wrong idea, you liked a good time like anyone else,

...but you liked rest even more.  

The room once again fell silent as the residents and the boys looked to you for the final say. 

"You okay with that [y/n]?"

Your large eyes landed on the tall brown haired boy.

"What's the point in getting everyone fire up like that if you're still going to ask for my permission, Khena?" 

He only smiled, staying as silent as the rest. Your chest tightened in frustration, and you glanced to Jeezer for help--he looked away as soon as your eyes met feigning confusion.   
 

"...Fine"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The party was island-wide. It contained plenty of food, alcohol, music and dancing to loosen up even the most uptight spirit. The decorations and booths were set up immediately and the party was underway in the next hour. Melodia was an island who prided itself in its musical roots, so late- night showcases were very common. Parties were almost a daily occurrence.

You sat on the edge of a fountain, chewing on a sweet bun and watching as Luffy, Chopper and Usopp ate and danced wildly along with a large crowd to the live music. At one point, Luffy started choking on a piece of meat, and Chopper flailed around asking for a doctor before realizing that he was, in fact, a doctor. Multiple townspeople rushed to the boy with water, and it was over quicker than it started. You exhaled loudly, picking at your food.

"They're interesting, aren't they?" You looked up from your meal and met a pair of kind, light violet eyes. 

"Rosa." The girl smiled, her face illuminated by the many decorative lights of the evening. She was a pretty young woman, only a year older than yourself. She had medium length blonde hair that she normally kept in a low ponytail with a few strands framing her face. She shifted to sit beside you on the stone fountain, the knee-length violet dress she was wearing flowed with her while she moved. 

She was a picture of elegance, honestly.

"I'm so glad you're back [y/n]! I was worried about you!"

"Thanks, It's good to be back."

The woman leaned closer to you with concentration riddled across her visage. "...May I see?" 

You hesitated for a moment, weighing the risk before pulling the black notebook from the back pocket of your black shorts and handing it to her. She thumbed through it and stopped on the list of crossed out names.

She smiled.

"So it's finally done. I'm so happy for you [y/n]--"

"It's not over yet. There's still one more." You stated darkly. You body tensed up so much, your toes curled in your white boots. 

Rosa nodded and handed you back the book. 

"Well, I wouldn't have known that you were going to use the book for _this_ when I got it, but I'm glad I found something of use to you [Y/n]."

She had given you the small notebook almost two years ago as a birthday gift. For a long while, it just sat on your dresser until you realized you could put it to good use.

"Thanks again, Rosa." You affirmed, noticing her sudden uncomfortable shifting on the stony surface.

"...Janson told me the Strawhats asked about the war...He said you didn't tell them everything...Any reason why?" She asked, lowering her voice at the last part. She was choosing her words carefully.

You stared straight ahead still fuming over the last man on your list.

"They don't need to know." You said simply, putting the notebook back into your pocket.  

It was true. They would be leaving soon. They weren't special, why the hell should you tell them everything?  

Again, the blonde nodded as she looked for a lighter tangent to go off on to ease your nerves. You didn't show it, but she could feel your frustration. She felt a bit guilty about even asking about the book. 

"Its been pretty exciting since these guys showed up this morning. Janson hasn't stopped talking about the skeleton man's guitar skills." She giggled. 

Janson was Rosa's husband. They were a young, but very happy couple moving into their fourth year. Janson was an extreme guitar enthusiast, so you had no doubt that what she was saying was true. Now you were interested. Brooke must be pretty good to get the older man's attention in such a short time. Finally relaxing, your eyes smiled. 

Looking at her life, you had always wondered what it would be like to settle down with someone. You had to admit that you secretly adored the idea of being a wife. You bet you'd make a good one.

But was that even an option anymore?

Your thoughts were cut short by the sound of applause as the next musical act came forward. Melodia's parities always had a showcase of music, where musicians would reveal new music or sing beloved favorites. Either way, Melodia was united through its love for music. 

You looked on as the stage was graced with the presence of both Khena and Janson. The latter on lead guitar and the former on lead vocals. About four others joined them.

Rosa gasped and clapped eagerly. 

"Hope you guys are having a great time!" Khena greeted, almost immediately locking eyes with you. You stared back with an unchanged expression. The crowd cheered excitedly, with Luffy and his hyper squad jumping up and down. The rest of his crew sat near, either on the grass or assimilating with other townsfolk. 

"This is something Janson and I have been working on for a while, so we hope you enjoy."   
The music started playing not long after, with the first note being blown from a harmonica played by another member of the band.

**~'Desert loving in your eyes all the way  
If I listened to your lies would you say,  
I'm a man without conviction  
I'm a man who doesn't know  
How to sell a contradiction  
You come and go  
You come and go...~**

 

You hummed in approval. The song had a nice tune. Khena's smooth voice was a perfect fit. The ballad was reminiscent of Melodia's former years, which would make it acceptable to even the oldest residents. You were actually a bit surprised at the type of music the brunette was singing. Normally Khena wrote songs that required more guitars and a stronger, gravelly voice, but it was a nice change. 

You watched as the crowd grew accustomed to the words and began to sing along as was normal to a showcase like this. If the song was well liked, the whole island would join in singing. There were only a few musicians who could accomplish this with _all_ of their music, but you could tell this song was a hit. Some of the Strawhats were dancing and singing along as well. Robin and Nami sat on a blanket in the grass clapping along, while Zoro sat against a tree drinking and bobbing his head. Beside you, Rosa sang along happily.

**~'Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma Chameleon  
You come and go  
You come and go  
Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dream  
Red, gold and green  
Red, gold and green~**

_'Good work guys'_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   

With what little attention you were getting, you managed to slip away from the crowd of partiers--and more importantly, the Strawhats. The number of people in sight and music began to dwindle as you walked down the road leading away from town. You sighed to yourself when you overheard a couple talking about the latest attacks on the Marine base, before noticing you and waving cordially.

If only they knew...

You hadn't slept normal hours since you developed the hit list nearly three years ago,but now, all you could think about was sleep. You supposed you could thank the rowdy pirates for that. As you walked, your eyes suddenly darted to the side to avoid the stony gaze of a certain statue that was centralized near the edge of town. As many times as you averted your eyes to the sculpture, the words engraved on the plaque still managed to carve themselves into your mind.

**"In Loving Memory of a Great Musician, Swordsman, Father and Friend."**

You let out a shaky breath. The air seemed to get colder each time you passed the figurehead. The wind blew through your long [h/c] hair and you gripped the strap holding your two katannas to your back. You sped up.

_"[Y/n]."_

Not now. You weren't finished yet...

"[Y/n]."

You gasped slightly and spun around, meeting the slender figure of a woman.

"Robin?" 

She smiled lightly. 

"Sorry to bother you, I saw you slip away, and I never got the chance to thank you for everything that you and your town has done for my crewmates and I."

"You're welcome I guess. But really, it was a solution that benefitted the both of us."

It was a true _and_ false statement. If the marines had gotten any closer, a war potentially would have broken out, but at the same time, you had recognized Luffy. So you would have saved them either way...You kind of promised you'd keep an eye on the kid if you ever saw him.  

Robin laughed. "You never sugarcoat anything, do you?" 

You lifted your eyebrow at the inquisition. Her laughter died down as she looked towards the dreaded statue. 

"I don't want to keep you, but that way is the Opfern Peninsula, right?" She asked, pointing past the bust to a wooded area. "I hear that region is sacred." 

You nodded slowly, your passive eyes looking in the opposite direction. Lowering her arm, Robin cast her blue eyes on the statue itself. 

"Who is this? If you don't mind me asking?" 

You felt a lump rise in your throat. You swallowed. 

"...That's Mifune"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were finally in the solitude of your own small home. You knew once your head hit the pillow, you'd be done for, so you didn't even bother undressing, other than your thigh high boots that you managed to slip out of at the entrance way. Donned in your navy blazer, noir shorts and sleeveless white blouse, you dragged yourself to the small back room that you dubbed your bedroom. Your fingers touched the walls every now and again because of the pitch blackness of the night. Realizing that sleep was upon you, you carelessly flopped face first on the comfortable mattress. It was hot, but that didn't stop you from wrapping your small body in the large white blanket that draped over the bed. Other than the mattress and headboard, the room held a nightstand beside your bed, a small dresser, and an even smaller closet. You were a girl of simple things. Anything extra would have been unnecessary, in your opinion.

You sighed. You were a bit shaken from the conversation you had with Robin. She meant well, but it was just your luck that she wanted to know about something so sensitive to you.

Your tired eyes dragged themselves to the nightstand where a single glass lantern was placed. Inside, burned a strong self-fueling flame. Your eyes glinted at the memory.

_"Here, this flame is a part of me. As long as it burns, I'm alive and doing fine."_

Your shoulders finally relaxed as you sank into the bed and slipped into an undisturbed  
slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"My brave little girl..."  
"My brave little girl..."  
"You're my brave little girl..."

You awoke laying in a bright green field in your usual attire. You subconsciously touched the swords on your back and relaxed when you felt the cloth hilt of both weapons. The wind blew softly through the tall blades of grass as you looked around the setting. The sun was high and bright in the beautiful blue sky, and you could hear the faint rush of the ocean somewhere in the distance.

It was nice.

"You're my brave little girl." You started and quickly stood when you heard the soft woman's voice, but loosened up when you realized it was familiar. At first seeing nothing but an endless field of green, you suddenly tensed when you felt a presence a few feet behind you. Turning around once more, you caught sight of a woman standing with her back facing you. The tall grass obscured your vision of her lower half, but her hair was long and the same color as yours. 

"Mom...?" 

The bright sun abruptly turned into an equally dazzling full moon in the daytime sky.

"Such a brave girl..." Her voice felt like it was miles away, and it seemed to bounce off of anything solid, giving it a hollow sound. You stepped closer to her and stretched out your hand a bit. The grass swayed rapidly and the ocean sounds became louder and louder until water slowly began to pool at your feet. You gasped and stepped back before the water could touch your boots. You called to the woman once more, and this time, she turned around.

She had a face like yours. 

She smiled before diving into the field, producing a splashing sound. It was silent for a while, as you stared where she once stood. The moon alternated back into a sun, and hung in the sky as if it were approaching evening. 

"Brave? Heh, what a joke." 

Your body grew ridged, and you shook with both rage and...

"You couldn't even save them." It was a man this time, and you turned slightly to meet his gaze. Your eyes widened as you stared at his face.

Dark brown hair...  
Grey eyes...  
With a scar over the bridge of his nose...

Fear.

"Not _one_.." He emphasized.

In a panic, you reached for your trusted katanna blades--they were gone.  

The sun was long gone as well, giving the sky a crimson glow that painted the swaying grass the same hue. The calm ocean sounds turned to crashing roars as you directed your full attention to the much taller man. Your breathing was labored, and scarlet liquid began to puddle around you, coating your clean white boots. The man gave you a maniacal grin and stretched his arms against the horizon.  

"You wanted me, well here I am." 

You could only choke in response as the fluid began to rise around the both of you rapidly. You couldn't make sense of it. 

"Pathetic." He spat, suddenly sinking into the rising fluid, disappearing from your sight.

The sky grew darker with each passing second. 

The liquid reached your hips and you began to panic slightly, making faint noises of distress like a small animal caught in a trap. 

You felt it getting more difficult to breathe, and you grasped your neck in a weak attempt to aid yourself. You stopped when your hands felt wet. Pulling them away you whimpered upon seeing them covered in blood. While half of the blood was pooling from below, there was a substantial amount of it now pouring from your own neck. The air held a strong copper smell and in an instant, the blood was above your chest. You floundered and gasped for air as the blood rose towards your neck and mouth. 

Out of nowhere, a large boulder rose from the thick liquid with a tall man standing upon it. He wore a black cape that billowed behind him as he stood with his back facing you, as the woman did. You coughed.

"D-dad...please h-help...." You sputtered, reaching a blood soaked hand out to him. He barely turned to face you. 

"I have no use for a weak child." He stated as if it were obvious. The boulder slowly began to drift away, leaving you to writhe in the deep slough of blood. You moved to swim after the rock, only to nearly drown as hands gripped your ankles. Looking down, you saw the man from earlier as his head rose from the bloody waters. His tanned skin and white teeth now stained with the crimson fluid. 

You called after your father once again with much more hysteria in your voice. You pupils contracted in terror as the man dragged you down with him. 

 

You woke up in your bed seized with fear. You clutched your neck and breathed rapidly as you sat up, drenched in sweat. In the light of the mid morning, you perched upon your bed attempting to regain your stoic composure.

This was normal. 

Your body convulsed at the sound of your Den Den Mushi ringing from your bedside countertop. Picking up the speaker, you waited for a response, not trusting your own voice.

"[Y/n]. You better come down to Jeezer's place."

It was Khena. 

"Okay."

There was a small pause. 

"...Another nightmare huh?"

You hung up without answering. 

Changing into a less sweaty but identical blouse, you brushed your wild hair, washed your face, strapped your katana to your back and your boots to your feet, and left your quiet home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, here you were, once again standing in front of the Strawhats--more specifically their captain--- as they stared back at you. Luffy was giving you a coy smile, and pointing at you with a long rubber finger. The boy was made of rubber-- _rubber_. You learned that when he made his arm reach across the courtyard the other day to one of the food booths during the party.

Scared everyone. 

Devil fruits. You hadn't heard of them before, but apparently there were four users on the ship, and it took away their ability to swim. You liked to think of yourself as a practical individual, so you couldn't help but brood over how counterproductive that was to a _pirate_.   
   
You blinked slowly, you hadn't really heard what the boy basically just yelled at you.

"...What?" 

He gave you a toothy grin. "We've decided! BECOME OUR NAKAMA!" 

Despite the joyous atmosphere, your face remained blank. Inside, you felt your stomach flip. 

_'This is it.'_ You thought. _This is the change I've been feeling!'_

Your chest tightened. Your eyes flickered to Jeezer and Khena--who looked astoundingly happy. They seemed to want this. Moving back to Luffy's crew, they all looked to you with kind and welcoming smiles, each giving their own words of encouragement. The atmosphere was celebratory and beautiful as some laughter and many smiles could be seen and heard. Change was upon you. 

You didn't miss a beat.

"No."  
 

**Author's Notes!!!**

I know said this would be up by Thursday!!! So sorry guys!!!

Author's Notes

1\. The song that Khena sings is Karma Chamaeleon by Boy George and the Culture Club. His voice is how I picture Khena's voice to sound. 

2\. Janson is an avid guitar played, and is happily married

 

3\. Reader can also play multiple instruments...can she sing? Maybe... 

4\. The mentions of Reader's getting flustered at shameless flirting and the lantern on her nightstand are allusions to her relationship with Ace. So is her identification of Luffy. 

5\. The dream was foreshadowing to Reader's past. FYI. *huehuehue*

6\. I have created a playlist of songs that I believe to best represent the singing voices of some of the characters that normally sing Check them out! They're all great IMO. FYI!!! Some of the songs do not have character names yet because they have not been introduced yet...or would spoil the story! Those that have yet to be introduced will be listed as NYA (not yet applicable).

Melodia's Character Playlist;

Karma Chamaeleon-Khena (softer) (Boy George)

Drive By-Khena (harder) (Train)

Centerfold-Khena (harder)- (J.Gelis Band)

Makes Me Wonder-Janson (Maroon 5)

You Make My Dreams Come True- Janson (Hall and Oats)

Moving Out (Anthony's Song)-Jeezer (Billy Joel)

Desperado-Jeezer-The Eagles (Don Henley)

Take it To the Limit-NYA-The Eagles(Randy Meisner)

Take it Easy-NYA-The Eagles (Glen Frey)

Dreams-NYA-Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks) 

Mother Earth, and Father Time-NYA(Charlotte's Web) 

A Song For You-NYA-(Christina Aguilera cover)


	6. Chapter 3: First impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After nearly three days of the whole town pitching in to find you, the Strawhats along with your usual acquaintances once again settle at Jeezer's bar. Khena and Luffy voice their frustration with you that seems to gain the approval of your other longtime friends. During the meeting, Janson decides to give the Strawhats some information about your mysterious personality from his own experiences with you. It results in the beginning of Janson's past, and how he came to know you.

A day and a half had passed since you turned down the Strawhat's offer to join the crew. After your blunt refusal, you had left the café, completely disregarding the shocked faces of everyone inside. 

After that, you basically disappeared. 

For the past day and a half, the Strawhats convened in Jeezer's café in the early morning hours for the young captain to constantly asked about your whereabouts. Obviously Luffy wasn't going to give up on you so easily. 

So that's how the [y/n] search party was formed.

Because of all of commotion the Straw hat boy was causing, he successfully managed to get the half of the island in on the great search for you. The air that was once filled with music now clamored with the sound of your own name. 

By now, the sun was beginning to set on the second 

"Luffy..." Nami whined, trudging slowly behind the younger boy. "We've been searching for almost two days now. She obviously doesn't want to be found." 

The black haired captain stomped through the streets, barking out orders to his potential followers on the island--completely ignoring his navigator's complaints. Ussopp and Chopper stood on either side of the boy with just as determined looks on their faces. 

"Look everywhere! I don't care if we have to kidnap her! She's joining my crew!" 

Ussop nodded sharply.

"We'll find her! Leave no stone unturned!" 

Upon the long nosed boy's comment, Luffy suddenly pointed to one of the villagers standing on the side of the road. 

"Hey! Didn't you hear him?!"

"...huh?" 

"Turn over that rock!!" 

The poor man flinched in confusion, but slowly carried out the ridiculous order, grunting as he struggled to push over the large boulder next to him. The crew deadpanned at their captain. Every day they wondered how they managed to survive following such an airhead. 

No wonder _you_ were hiding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the end of the day, the Janson, the twins and Khena followed by the worn out Strawhats and their frustrated captain, filed into Jeezer's bar once more. Luffy let out a loud howl that shook the building slightly.

"Where the hell is she?!" He shrieked, raising his fists to the ceiling. Khena maneuvered around the boy, rubbing his temples and growling. 

"Dammit. She's being such a pain in the ass. I can't believe she actually went out of her way to hide from us!" 

"I can't believe we can't find her" Moriel stated.

"Yeah, aren't we supposed to be the one's who know her the most? especially _you_ Khena." Jasiel added. 

The comment made the older man lunge at the snickering twins, who laughed hysterically while he shook them by their collars. 

"Seriously?! You guys have known her just as long as me! It's impossible to read that girl! A blank book would tell me more about itself!" 

Janson stood leaning on a wall and chuckled. 

"She can be quite the elusive one Khen, emotions or otherwise. I've known her the least out of all of us, but I know her enough to understand that she gets her way no matter what." 

He laughed softly while the others grunted and nodded in agreement, Khena proceeding to release the twins from his hold.

Robin, who was sitting with an exhausted Chopper in her lap, looked to the blonde man. 

"You obviously admire her. Since we can't ask her for ourselves at the moment, do you mind telling us a bit about our crewmate?" Robin glanced at Luffy, hoping the topic would quell his burning irritation. It did. The boy stopped his frantic pacing and faced Janson. The older man laughed. 

"You really don't quit do you?" 

Zoro scoffed and looked to a determined Luffy. "[First] isn't the _only_ one who always gets her way." 

Janson laughed once more. "I see, well alright..." He shifted positions on the wall to make himself more comfortable. 

"There's no one way to describe [First]. She just is who she is, but I can guarantee you that there will never be anyone else like her. She's incredible, and I owe her my life."

"Whoa, your _life_? Usopp asked. 

"That's right. There's not much else I can tell you about her personality..." His blue eyes skimmed the crew starting from Robin, then to Chopper and Ussop, a smoking Sanji, Zoro and Franky, to a captivated Brook, Nami and finally their fixated captain Luffy. 

"That's something you all will have to experience individually, and come to your own conclusions about. To Khena over there, she's a strong but stubborn leader."

"Tsk. Damn right." 

"To the twins she's a fierce girl who hates to be teased. To Jeezer...she's a holder of burdens. But to me, she's the very reason I'm alive." Janson smiled fondly at a returning memory. 

"I'll tell you about how we first met..."

_"It all started three years ago..."_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
 **Flashback**

"Tonight's the night. I promise."

A young man with disheveled blonde hair crept down the darkened streets of an island. The only sounds present were the chirping of crickets, and the scuffling of the man's worn brown shoes against the road. He was determined and focused. He had practiced this many times before, but today was the real deal. Placing the black hood of his jacket over his head, and securing the duffle bag across his back, the man approached a large silver gate. Carefully, he reached for the third bar in the middle and effortlessly detached it, as it had been pre-filed off. The opening was just large enough for him to slip though, and cautiously replace the bar. 

The land behind the gate consisted of a number of homes. Quietly, the man began to sprint in a crouched position as not to be seen through the windows of said homes. Ever so often, the sound of laughter reached his burning ears, making his stomach lurch.

It was the type of laughing that implied deception.

He was careful to avoid the glow of the streetlamps as well as a handful of posted guards that scouted the streets during times he had memorized.   
"A little."After walking cautiously for a few miles, the man quickly darted around a specific household, and situated himself in a shadowed clearing within the its backyard. From this area, the man could see into all of the windows to the back of the home. He cast his eyes upon a rounded window on the second floor of the home's structure. 

_'The lights aren't on...is she--'_

The sudden rustling of bushes from the right of him snapped the man out of his thoughts. His body stiffened in defense, and he let out a warning growl. 

"Janson!" Came the hushed exclamation of a woman, who gingerly stepped out of the bushes and threw herself into his arms. The latter's body immediately relaxed upon contact, taking in the sweet floral scent that swirled into his nostrils from the woman's golden hair.

"...Rosa..." He exhaled. The girl giggled. 

"Did I frighten you?"  

"A little." He admitted lightheartedly. He took her chin in his hands. "Last chance to turn back." 

Her eyes glinted. 

The man felt his heart swell at the response she gave him. 

_I wouldn't dream of it_  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Present storyline**

Janson sighed. "We were at sea for almost three months. It was going fine, but we eventually ran into a bad storm along the Grand line. We lost all of our food and supplies, and I hit my head pretty hard, so Rosa had to take care of me with little resources available. My head wound healed, but I caught a pretty bad fever." 

He smiled. 

"About two weeks later, we washed up on an island."   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
 **Flashback**

It was nearing mid-day when Rosa and a disoriented and feverish Janson stumbled upon the beach of an unknown island. Rosa dropped to her knees and gasped for air, not minding the grains of sand that to what was left of her grey pants and matching shirt. Her hair was tangled and matted in some places, and her eyes were slightly sunken in due to lack of food and water. She flinched when she heard a short thud, buffered by the swaying of sand to the left of her. Looking down, she gasped.

“Janson! Are you alright?!” She shrieked, placing her hands on his burning face, red from the effects of his fever. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he mumbled incoherently.

Tears pricked at the corners of Rosa’s eyes.

“We have to break this fever somehow!”  

Janson mumbled once more, prompting Rosa to lean in.

“…We have…We have to get out of here, Rosa.” Her brows furrowed at the man’s statement, his chapped and peeling lips continued to move. “These people, they’ll hurt you…” 

“Janson, you must be hallucinating again! We haven’t even seen any—“

“L-listen to me!” He interjected, pushing himself up to sit on his knees, with his shaking palms digging into the sand and leaning towards the blonde woman.

“T-take a look at that sign over there…” His sunken eyes darted towards a medium, white sign mounted between two large rocks. Rosa's eyes widened.

“…M-Melodia? Like that island th—“ Janson nodded in confirmation.

“W-we have to get out of here Rosa.”

She whimpered. “Janson, the boat is too damaged. We can’t go anywhere! Especially not with that fever, you’ll die!” 

Janson cursed shakily. He was afraid. He had heard stories about how the people of this island were incredibly territorial and would kill anyone who set foot on the land without direct permission from the leaders…whoever _they_ were. He didn’t know much about this place, but he knew that the leader was some demon of a man who declared independence from the World Government. That was enough for Janson to fear for his life, and more importantly, Rosa’s life. He'd gladly kill anyone who threatened her--

“What happened to you two?"

The man’s breathing stopped short. His eyes flickered to Rosa, who was sitting in front of him, equally frozen. The voice came from behind Janson, and he turned slowly, his reddened eyes moving up to meet the half lidded and cold eyes of a young girl. She was small, but Janson could almost feel her strength. 

It was overwhelming. 

Rosa gripped the tattered material of his shirt. Her violet eyes wide with uncertainty. Rosa’s fear placed a daunting rage in the man’s heart. 

He couldn’t let her die here. Not after he promised her happiness. 

Janson stared defiantly into the [e/c] orbs of the girl before him. She stared back, unmoved. 

“I’ll ask again. What happened to y—“ She was suddenly taken aback by the loud shriek that erupted from the man's throat. Rosa called out his name as he drew a long dagger from his side pocket and lunged towards the girl. His eyes widened as she seemed to vanish, only to appear behind him with one of her katannas drawn. In a swift swipe of her arm, Janson was stretched out on the sandy beach with a hysterical Rosa racing to his side. The shock of what had just occurred must have been too much for the blonde’s heart, because it was not long before she too was laying on the beach completely unresponsive. The girl stared blankly at the two. 

They were some pair. 

She only wanted to know what had happened to them, so she could figure out a way to help… 

Sighing heavily, she grabbed Rosa and slung the girl over her small shoulder. As for Janson, he caused her enough trouble for one day…

She’d just drag him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Author's Notes**
> 
> This flashback takes place three years ago, when Janson is 20 years old, Rosa is 16, and reader is the same age as Rosa.  
> 
> Reader-chan's eyes are only 'half-lidded' in the flashback because she was far more unresponsive than she is in the present.


End file.
